


again, now

by angelicautowriting



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Other, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24912247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelicautowriting/pseuds/angelicautowriting
Summary: "Upon reaching the kitchen, Leorio is nowhere to be found, but thereisbreakfast in the form of what looks like half the contents of the refrigerator spread across practically every available surface. At the eye of the storm sits a child, who looks up at the sound of Kurapika's approaching footsteps.“Hey, I figured since you kidnapped me, anything in the kitchen was fair game.” The child grins and stuffs a handful of grapes into their mouth.“...Did you make any coffee?” Kurapika has priorities, and they involve procuring a hot drink, Leorio’s current location, and the identity of the stranger in their home, in that order."
Relationships: Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 2
Kudos: 90





	again, now

**Author's Note:**

> a short one shot with the same premise as now and again, with the roles reversed 
> 
> i really gotta write every possible iteration of this story god i swear this wouldn't have happened if the time travel tag for this fandom were better populated. let me beat this dead horse 
> 
> minor cw for vague references of bad things happening to leorio as a child

Kurapika wakes up alone. 

Sleeping in shifts and trading off on watch duty has been their life for so long, they’ve developed the ability to spring from unconsciousness to full alertness in the space of a single breath. Their flight-or-fight instinct hasn’t relaxed much, even sleeping behind the locked doors of the apartment they share with Leorio. Sharing a bed, on the other hand, has done wonders for their nightmares. Honestly, they can’t remember the last time they slept in the other bedroom. _Leorio’s bed_ has become _their bed_ in everything but name.

In other words, it’s rare that Leorio is able to get up without waking them whenever he leaves for his god awful morning classes or the graveyard shift at the clinic or whatever inane reason he has for getting up before the sun rises when their lives aren’t in mortal peril. So waking up to an empty bed is unusual, to say the least. 

The sheets are soft where they're pressed against Kurapika's cheek and they allow themselves the luxury of dozing a little longer. Leorio has most likely already started cooking, if the muffled noises coming from the kitchen are any indication, and it’s the promise of food that eventually rouses them. Standing and stretching, Kurapika unravels the remnants of last night’s braid and pads down the hallway in search of something to eat.

Upon reaching the kitchen, Leorio is nowhere to be found, but there _is_ breakfast in the form of what looks like half the contents of the refrigerator spread across practically every available surface. At the eye of the storm sits a child, who looks up at Kurapika's approach. 

“Hey, I figured since you kidnapped me, anything in the kitchen was fair game.” The child grins and stuffs a handful of grapes into their mouth. 

“...Did you make any coffee?” Kurapika has priorities, and they involve procuring a hot drink, Leorio’s current location, and the identity of the stranger in their home, in that order. They’ve never developed a dependence on caffeine the way Leorio has, but he’s gotten them hooked on this particular morning ritual regardless. 

The child gestures towards a half-empty pot on the counter, and Kurapika mumbles their thanks as they pour themselves a cup. 

“Where’s Leorio?” A pause as they take their first sip. “Are you a friend of Gon’s?” 

This wouldn't be the first time Gon had left them with a “friend” in need of a place to crash, but a human child would definitely be a change of pace from the type of creatures Gon usually brought over. _Not out of the question, though._

All they get in return in a side-eyed squint from where the kid’s sitting on the floor. 

“Who’s Gon? And what do you mean, _where’s Leorio,_ I’m right here. Are you normally this unsure of the people you abduct? That’s pretty unprofessional, gotta say.” 

It's obvious this line of questioning isn’t going anywhere fast, so Kurapika cuts to the chase and mentally reaches out for Leorio’s aura. 

_...What? No, that can’t be._ They blink several times in quick succession, as if that will change what they’re seeing. 

The squint morphs into something more amused. 

“You always like this in the morning?” 

Kurapika stalks over to the kitchen table and sets down their coffee so they can conjure their dowsing chain, eyes trained on the nen construct as it swings back and forth. The pendulum motion slows, then stops, the chain tugging insistently towards the other side of the kitchen. They drop into a chair and bury their head in their hands, swearing lowly. Leorio-not-Leorio creeps over, trying to get a better look at their face. 

“Hey, what was that, that thing you just did? What’s wrong?” 

Kurapika mentally rewinds their entire interaction thus far. Without raising their head, they ask, “If you thought I abducted you, why didn’t you leave?” 

“I mean, I wasn’t injured or anything and like, there’s a lot of food here? I didn’t recognize anything outside, anyway, so I thought I’d just see what'd happen when you woke up.” He gives a little shrug and retrieves Kurapika’s abandoned mug, sliding it across the table towards them.

Kurapika does not allow themselves to think too deeply about how Leorio-as-a-child could be so blasé about this. They sit up and accept the mug, using the warm ceramic to ground themselves. 

“Does this happen often? You seem remarkably relaxed about all this.” 

Child-Leorio shrugs again. 

“It’s not the worst place I’ve woken up.” 

Forget not overthinking, Kurapika suddenly and viscerally _hates_ how totally unbothered this Leorio seems at the prospect of waking up somewhere unknown, presumably stolen away by an adult with uncertain motives. _Not the worst place._

“And you don’t recognize me at all?” It’s a last-ditch hope, but Kurapika would accept any small mercy the universe might decide to bestow at this point. 

“Um… Should I?” 

In lieu of a verbal explanation, Kurapika leans over and plucks a photo off the fridge. 

“This is Gon,” they say, tapping one of the smiling faces. “And our other friend Killua. And me. And-” 

“Wow, that guy looks just like me!” Young-Leorio jumps in excitedly, leaning across the table. “What’s up with those glasses, though?” 

“...It _is_ you. Or it will be.”

Incredulous eyes jump between Kurapika’s face and the photo in their hand. 

“Are you fucking with me?” 

Kurapika levels him with their best _are you really asking that_ look. 

Leorio dishes it right back, insisting, “I would _never_ wear old man shades like that!”


End file.
